Memories of Snowman Songs
by puppylover-MCP
Summary: Elsa sings a long-awaited response to her little sister. (One-shot)


Anna slowly walked through the dark halls of her home, her head bent as everything around her seemed to turn grey and stormy. Her parents had been lost at sea, her sister continued to stay locked in her room, and Anna felt like she was the loneliest girl in the world. Finally, she reached her destination, which was Elsa's door. Anna reached forward and knocked before resting her hand on the door. "Elsa?" she called. Then Anna sang to her sister. The song was many years old, and Anna had just come up with this verse on the way back to the castle from the memorial service.

"Please, I know you're in there.

People are asking where you've been.

They say have courage,

And I'm trying to.

I'm right out here for you,

Just let me in."

"We only have each other," Anna continued as she leaned against Elsa's door. "It's just you and me. What are we gonna do?" Anna sank down onto the floor, her back against the door. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she prepared to sing the next line. "Do you wanna build a snowman?" Anna closed her eyes, waiting, wishing, hoping, silently pleading for her sister to say something, anything. The fifteen-year-old princess could hear quiet sobbing on the other side of the door. Anna found it a bit odd that the wood at her back was unseasonable chilly, but she ignored it. Instead, she stared at the ceiling, wishing that by some miracle, this terrible nightmare would end so she could feel her parents arms around her once more. Closing her eyes, Anna pulled her knees to her chest, folded her arms across them, and lay her head down, squeezing her eyes shut as tight as she could to stop the flow of tears. She tried to think of happy things, like all the cheerful memories she had made with her family. But that only reminded Anna that she would never be able to relive those memories with her parents again, and that her sister continued to shut her out and ignore her, even after all this time. Finally, she couldn't hold it back any longer. Anna let her tears flow freely as loud sobs and sniffles shook her body.

"Anna?"

Anna's head immediately shot up, sure she had imagined it. Was her sister really talking to her? Anna turned and pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear more. She was confused again by how cold the door was, but that didn't matter at the moment. Hearing Elsa's voice did.

"Yes, I know you're out there.

I hear you every day."

Sobs continued coming from behind the door as Anna strained to hear more.

"I wish I didn't have to hide from you,

I really do,

But there's no other way."

Anna's heart leaped at the revelation that this isolation wasn't really what Elsa wanted either.

"You need to keep your distance,

And stay away from me,

But just know that I love you, too."

Knitting her brows together in confusion, Anna stared at the door. If Elsa loved her, then why did she want her to stay away? The song had paused, and Anna heard her sister crying again. After a second, the sound of the crown princess drawing in a deep breath was heard.

"I would love to build a snowman.

I wish I could build a snowman

With you."

Elsa's voice shook with emotion as she sang the last words. "But I can't!" she finished a moment later, sounding angry and heartbroken at the same time.

Still in shock from hearing her sister say something, Anna stared openmouthed at the white rectangle of wood in front of her. Eventually, she found her voice. "Why not?" Silence answered her, and Anna hoped with all her heart that she'd get another response.

"Because I have to stay away."

Anna breathed a sigh of relief, but her joy of being answered quickly faded when the words hit her. "But, Elsa, you just said you wished you didn't have to hide. Why can't you come out?" Anna heard a long sigh from inside.

"I just can't. I wish I could, but it's not possible. Anna, please drop the subject. I really shouldn't even be talking to you; it's not safe. You may understand someday, but for now, please don't ask anymore. I love you and miss you, but you need to go away now. Bye, Anna."

"But…" Anna trailed off, trying to figure out what was going on. She leaned her head back against the door and closed her eyes again. "I'm gonna stay right here anyway," she spoke up. Anna decided do honor her sister's request for now, but Elsa's words still puzzled her. She vowed to herself that she'd find out one day what was going on.

0o0o0o0o

"Thanks, Olina!" Anna called as she skipped away from the castle kitchen, a chunk of her favorite chocolate in her hand. Happily she made her way upstairs to Elsa's room, pausing to knock on her door. It had been nearly a month since the Great Thaw, and Anna couldn't be more happier at all the changes that had taken place. The main thing was that Elsa no longer locked herself away, and the sisters were friends again. Anna now knew that Elsa's magic was the reason for her isolation, and the sisters had vowed that no more unnecessary secrets would be kept from the other.

"Come in, Anna!" Elsa called from inside the room.

Anna bounced into the room, shutting the door behind her, and made her way over to her sister's desk. She noticed a piece of paper filled with words that Elsa had apparently been working on. "Hey, what's that?" Anna asked, reaching for the paper.

Elsa instantly snatched up the paper and held it out of reach. "Nothing! I-it's nothing."

"Come on, Elsa. No more secrets, remember?" Anna reminded, her hands on her hips.

"You're right," Elsa replied with a sigh, relaxing. "It's actually a song. A very old song, really. I came up with parts of it a long time ago and just now decided to write it down."

"Oh, cool! Can you sing it for me?"

"A-are you sure? It's kind of sad."

"Of course, Elsa! Go ahead, I'm listening." Anna walked over to her big sister's bed and plopped down on it. She looked up at Elsa expectantly.

Elsa sighed again. "Alright. Well, this is more of a reply than anything. A reply to you, that is. It's something I always wished I could tell you, but I couldn't. This first part is from when I was eight years old." She cleared her throat and began singing.

"Of course I wanna build a snowman.

There I've said it, I've confessed."

Anna stared at her sister in shock as the familiarity of the song hit her.

"But I have to stay locked up inside.

Although I hate to hide,

I know it's for the best.

You know you're still my best friend;

I wish that I

Could be out there by your side.

Of course I wanna build a snowman.

Oh how I'd love to build a snowman!

I love you, Anna.

Please don't cry."

When she was finished, Elsa glanced sheepishly at Anna. "This next part is from when I was around twelve."

"Of course I wanna build a snowman

And run around and dance and play.

I'm really lonely stuck inside my room.

My life's all gloom and doom,

But I have gotta stay.

Hang in there, Elsa!"

Anna giggled slightly as she remembered telling the portrait of Joan of Arc the same thing.

"I know you're feeling lonely,

I know I am, too,

But my powers will not subside!

Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel!"

"That's really nice, Elsa," Anna commented. "I still think the ticking of a clock would be better for the end, since that crazy 'conceal, don't feel' phrase never worked, but it's still good."

Elsa smiled. "Thank you, Anna." Her smiled faded. "D'you want me to sing the last verse? It's pretty sad, because it's from the day of the memorial service."

"Sure, sis," Anna responded. "But wait, didn't you already sing that?"

"No, I didn't," Elsa answered with a shake of her head. "What I sang was a different version, because I couldn't tell you about my magic."

Anna forced a smile and patted the spot on the bed beside her. "Well, let's hear it, then. Come sit down."

Elsa walked over to the bed and sat down beside her sister. "Anna?"

"Yes, Elsa?"

"Are you absolutely sure you want to hear this?"

"Of course!"

"Alright then." Elsa drew in a deep breath, laid the paper down on the bed, and wrapped her arms around Anna, holding her close.

"Yes, I know you're out there.

That must have been tough on your own.

But now my magic has grown much too strong.

I feared this all along;

Must be alone."

Anna felt tears pricking her eyes as she stared up at her sister, whose eyes were focused on something only she could see.

"You deserve much better

Than what I can be.

There's nothing that I can do."

Elsa glanced down at Anna, tears streaming down her face.

"Of course I wanna build a snowman.

"I'll always want to build a snowman!

With you."

"Always and forever," Elsa finished as she squeezed her sister tight.

"Elsa, that was beautiful!" Anna praised as she returned the hug.

Elsa blushed in appreciation. "Thanks, but it's rather depressing."

"So what? Your voice is amazing!"

"Yours is, too, Anna."

Anna sat up straight and dried her tears. "So what are we waiting for?"

"What d'you mean?" Elsa asked, confusion on her face.

Anna laughed and shook her head, jumping off the bed and turning to face her sister. "Well, you just said you wanted to build a snowman, so what's stopping us?"

Elsa glanced around the room with a smile as she played along. "I don't know. I'm sitting on my bed for one thing. Oh! And the door is closed, plus there's a ton of hallways and a staircase or two in the way of the ballroom. Shall I go on?"

"Very funny, Elsa!" Anna responded, pulling Elsa off the bed and toward the door. "Since when has that ever stopped us?"

"Good point," Elsa replied with laugh as Anna dragged her out of her bedroom and down to the ballroom. Now there were no more secrets; just two sisters having fun together.


End file.
